Cosmetic Injectables 101: The Difference Between Botox and Fillers

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All Injectables Are Not Created Equal

The demand for no downtime, cosmetic treatments that yield youthful results continues to rise. And with that increase, we hear more questions from patients such as this one: “Is filler the same as Botox?”
Botox® Cosmetic and fillers, both commonly known as injectables, do have a few things in common.

  1. They are minimally invasive, office based procedures that offer the patient no downtime.
  2. They are alternatives to surgical procedures and often may be the steps taken to delay or
    prevent the need for traditional surgeries such as a facelift or blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery).
  3. Their results can be extremely natural looking when done properly and by a highly trained, experienced physician.

Both types of injectables, Botox Cosmetic and fillers, also have distinct differences.

Injectable neurotoxins or neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin) work to smooth fine lines and wrinkles by temporarily relaxing muscles that are responsible for creating these fine lines and wrinkles. An important difference is that these neurotoxins work predominantly on dynamic wrinkles – the wrinkles that present when you use your facial muscles to create expression. Neurotoxins do not do much for static wrinkles which are those wrinkles that are seen even at rest.

Cosmetic fillers, such as Juvederm, Voluma, Belotero, Restylane Silk, Radiesse, Sculptra, Restylane and Perlane, go further and can be used to lift cheeks, eliminate under eye bags and dark circles, erase smile lines, enhance the lips and get rid of vertical lip lines (smoker’s lines, lipstick lines). Fillers work on wrinkles seen at rest. “It’s important to understand that fillers can be used to strengthen the scaffolding that normally supports the skin. This scaffolding consist of collagen, fat, elastin, and hyaluronic acid,” says Dr. Patel. “With age and sun exposure, these 4 supporting ingredients are lost, and we have to replace them. Fillers are used to accomplish this and treat volume loss.” Most patients start losing volume in their mid 30 to 40s, and so almost every adult is a candidate for some volume replacement (i.e. fillers).

In the past, collagen and fat were injected, but today the most common way to replace lost volume is to inject a hyaluronic acid based filler such as Juvederm, Voluma, Belotero, Restylane or Perlane. Other fillers that are not hyaluronic acid based such as Radiesse and Sculptra cause a reaction that produces collagen, however collagen itself is no longer available for injection mainly because it does not last and can cause allergic reactions. Fat injections, while permanent, are not a great alternative to hyaluronic fillers as fat can result in lumps. (And if a person gains weight, the fat in the face that was injected will grow as well – too little volume is a problem but so is too much.)

The most important thing we tell our patients is that maximum and most pleasing results are achieved with the combination of Botox and fillers. Since anti-aging is a three dimensional problem (volume loss, fine lines and wrinkles) not just a two dimensional problem (fine lines and wrinkles), we use a combination of neurotoxin to relax muscles and hyaluronic acid based fillers to replace lost volume and to address the aging face. Neurotoxins and fillers work differently, but their effect is usually synergistic.

If you have questions about injectables such as Botox and Juvederm and would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Shaun Patel, please call 786-618-5039 or email us now. We look forward to showing you beautifully natural results.

Miami Skin and Vein
6705 Red Road, Suite 608
Coral Gables, Florida 33143
Phone: 786-618-5039

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